SIMON BOLIVAR

By Sam Mager

EARLY LIFE
Simon Bolivar was born on July 24, 1783.
He was born in Caracas, Venezuela.
Both of his parents died by the time he
was six years old.
His uncle used Bolivars inheritance to
provide him with tutors.
One of his tutors, Simon Rodriquez had a
lasting effect on him by introducing him to
the 18th century liberalism.
Caracas, Venezuela,
Bolivars home.

EARLY LIFE (CONTINUED)

When he was 16, Bolivar was sent to Europe
to further pursue his education.
He lived in Spain for three years and married
the daughter of a Spanish nobleman in 1801.
They both returned to Caracas, but his wife
died soon after from yellow fever.
Bolivar states her death as his reason for
getting involved in politics at such a young
age.

Simon

RETURN TO EUROPE
In 1804, Bolivar returned to Europe, this
time to Paris.
He renewed his relationship with Simon
Rodriguez.
He also met the German scientist,
Alexander von Humboldt, he
enlightened Bolivar on the idea of the
independence of the Spanish colonies.
Later, while on a trip to Rome, Bolivar
vowed to free the countries from
Spains rule.
Alexander von Humboldt

PLANNING LIBERATION
In 1817, Bolivar started the task of
liberating New Granada from Spain.
New Granada was a Spanish colony that
contained the present day countries of
Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Panama.
He set up his headquarters along the
Orinoco river, because it had not been
destroyed by fighting and that it would be
hard for the Spaniards to drive them out.
By the spring of 1819, Bolivar had deceived
a plan to attack the Viceroyalty of New
Granada.

New Granada

ENTERING NEW GRANADA

Bolivar and his small army of 2,500 men
traveled for seven days through waist
high waters.
It seemed like a very hard journey, but
compared to the other option, the Andes
Mountains, it was much easier.
After many deaths from the harsh winds,
they finally made it into New Granada
with out being challenged by the Spanish.

Bolivars army entering New Granada

THE BATTLE OF BOYACA

Bolivars army held a surprise attack
on the Spanish at Boyaca.
On August 7, 1819, the Spanish royal
army surrendered.
Within three days, they entered the
city of Bogota.
Bolivar had officially secured the state
from the Spaniards.

The Battle of Boyaca

THE REST OF NEW GRANDA

Simon Bolivar became the military leader
and president of New Granada.
Soon after, the republic of Colombia was
created.
The other countries of the state were
established.
The rest of the state, however, still had to
be freed.
He got two of his soldiers to meet with the
Spanish and they secured an agreement
that ended hostilities for six months.

Simon Bolivar

THE FIGHTING CONTINUES

When the fighting resumed six
months later, Bolivar easily defeated
the Spanish and was able to liberate
his homeland of Venezuela.
A constitution was devised for
Colombia, but it disappointed Bolivar.
He didnt think that it would allow the
country to last for a long time.

Venezuela

THE FREEING OF ECUADOR

Trying to free Ecuador took Bolivar around
a year.
He engaged the Spanish in the mountains
that guarded Ecuadors capital, Quito.
They won a victory at Pichincha, which
finally freed the country from Spain.
New Granada was finally free for Spains
control.

Ecuador

LEGACY
Bolivar died in 1930, at the age of 47, from
tuberculosis.
He will always be remembered as one of the
key components of the liberation of South
America from Spain.
He even had a country named after him,
Bolivia.

The location of Bolivars grave

WORK CITED
http://
www.britannica.com/biography/Simon-Bo
livar
http://
www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/histo
ry/new-granada.html
http://
www.historytoday.com/john-lynch/simon-b
olivar-and-spanish-revolutions
Bolivian Flag